Fiber-optic cables or fiber bundles are widely used for transmitting light over great distances with negligible loss of light intensity. The flexible nature of fiber-optic cables also allows them, and the light they transmit, to be routed around curves in a serpentine manner allowing full flexibility in medical applications. When attached to a light source on one end and a light utilization device on the other end, the fiber-optic cable is especially useful for permitting inspection within the body for various applications in sites that are otherwise inaccessible.
Light sources for medical use and optical instruments take many forms and are commonly customized for particular applications at a factory, wherein cables of commonly used lengths and diameters are permanently mated to fittings for a particular light source and light utilization device. Widespread utilization of fiber-optic technology has resulted in a proliferation of light sources and light utilization devices. Unless the factory is unusually responsive to consumer demand for customized devices, a product distributor is forced to stock an enormous selection of cables having all of the possible combinations of cable lengths, diameters and attachments. Obviously, this results in an undesirable or prohibitively large inventory.
To more adequately respond to customer needs and to provide greater utility, fiber-optic cables have been fitted with threaded ends and screw-on attachments, or a lug with snap-on/snap-off attachments similar to a socket wrench. Threaded and snap connections, however, have serious drawbacks in medical applications. Specifically, the threads of the screws or snap mechanism get dirty and must therefore be cleaned before mating, or proper connection of an attachment to the cable is precluded and a contamination source is then present. Furthermore, screw-on attachments are susceptible to loosening or separating from the cable unless a locking device is used, and snap connections completely disengage from the cable if pulled too hard. The separability of these ends promotes their loss or removal so that the system becomes inoperative.